Indiana State Fair Bans Trans Fats

Aug. 15, 2007 — -- It sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen. Deep-fried Oreos, Twinkies, corn dogs, funnel cakes, french fries — all dripping tasty, greasy oils.

Thousands indulge themselves every year at state fairs across the USA and eat fried trans-fat treats. Beginning this year, however, one major state fair is formally banning artery-clogging trans fats, and some vendors at other fairs are volunteering to do so.

The Indiana State Fair, which runs through Sunday, is requiring vendors to use trans-fat-free cooking oil. No other state has reported an outright ban, says Marla Calico, a director at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions.

Of the five largest state fairs, some vendors at three — Iowa, Texas and Minnesota — will be posting signs at the fairs in the next few weeks announcing they are using trans-fat-free oils. The Eastern States Exposition is "strongly encouraging" its vendors to reject trans-fat oils. There is no plan for a ban at the Arizona state fair.

The Indiana ban comes amid a trans-fat purge. Fast-food chains such as KFC have banned them within the past year. One of America's classic indulgences, Girl Scout cookies, also gets a merit badge for cutting trans fats. Even New York City has issued a ban.

"This is the way the world is going," says Andy Klotz, spokesman for the Indiana State Fair. "Once we realized that taste was not a factor, then there was no reason not to implement this with all our concessionaires."

Indiana started considering a ban on trans fats last year, Klotz says, and followed up with a taste test to see whether switching oil would compromise flavor.

Bob Ludy of Greenwood attended the fair with his wife, Sue, and noted that the homemade potato chips tasted lighter and cleaner with the new oil.

"The flavor tastes a lot better to me," he says.

Glenn Nice of West Lafayette sampled a corn dog at the fair, a treat the avid runner and weightlifter says he indulges in every year.

"I've eaten a lot of corn dogs in my life, and I can't taste any difference at all."